A House of Cards
by IndigoNightandRayneStorm
Summary: One lived at the instituted, a good guy. The other worked for Magneto, a bad guy. They had nothing in common. But one rash action changes both their lives forever. LoganxGambit. Full summary inside. SEE SEQUEL, A HOUSE OF METAL!
1. Impulse

**Title: **A House of Cards

**Author: **IndigoNight

**Summary: **One lived at the instituted, a good guy. The other worked for Magneto, a bad guy. They had nothing in common. But one rash action changes both their lives forever. Will it change their lives for the better, or turn out to be the biggest mistake they've ever made?

**Feedback: **Yes please, yay reviews!

**Pairing: **Gambit/Logan

**Disclaimer: **I do not own X-Men: Evolution or the characters I'm just borrowing them for fun.

**Spoilers: **Nope

**Rating: **R for swearing, sexual scenes, and violence in later chapters

**Warnings: **Slash, don't like, don't read

**Author's Note: **So, this story was originally Rayne's idea. This chapter is actually pretty much all his, I just edited it a little. But he didn't feel it going anywhere, so decided not to finish it, but I loved it, so he said I could have it. So here is the first chapter. Please review!

**Enjoy!**

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Logan looked around the storage room. It was filled to the brim with crates and boxes, piled on top of one another. Logan sniffed; he had to be in there somewhere. Gambit. That little waste of air. Logan 's claws shot out. He hated waiting like this, watching every direction for the attack that was sure to come. He knew he didn't have much time. The building was about to blow up…

Suddenly four playing cards shot at him, one from each direction. He swirled, just managing to avoid them all. He peered closely into the shadows, trying to discern from where the cards had come.

"Think you can beat me, eh?" A husky, heavily accented voice said from above him. Logan spotted the mutant sitting on a low-hanging ceiling light.

Logan nodded, "Why not? It's not like I'm afraid of a deck of cards."

Gambit chuckled as he flipped backwards and landed on a high-up rectangular crate, "You're forgetting one thing, Kitty-Cat. Those cards explode!"

Three more cards shot towards Logan, and Logan quickly dodged them. Gambit added with an arrogant smile, "And you're running out of time."

In the smoke of the explosion, Logan quickly slid into the shadows. He watched Gambit look around anxiously, with a very determined and annoyed look on his face. It was kind of cute. Logan slid deeper into the dark shadows cast by the piles of wooden boxes. Logan took Gambit's moment of weakness, and jumped at him. Gambit, somehow aware of the surprise attack from behind him, spun around and knocked Logan right in the stomach with his staff.

The force of Gambit's blow sent Logan flying across the room. Logan hit the wall hard and fell to the floor, landing with a loud thud.

Logan tried to get up again, but before he could three more cards came flying at him, he dodged them, barely, but the backlash from the explosion blew him forcefully back against the wall again, this time slamming his head into it. He winced as blood began to flow and his vision blurred. The last thing he saw before the world went dark was Gambit grinning at him from across the room.

"Au revoir, Kitty-Cat," Gambit said, the corner of his mouth twisted into a grin as he turned to leave the building, knowing that it would be gone in a matter of minutes, the lot only left with debris and a fire Pyro was sure to set. Just as he got to the door, spotting Colossus, Pyro and Sabertooth kicking the asses of some left over X-Men, he stopped.

He wasn't sure why he did it, he didn't stop to think; instead he simply spun around and made a dash towards Logan, lying unconscious on the floor. It took him a few seconds to find him, but he did, and he lifted up, tossing him over his shoulder.

"Come one Cheri," Gambit whispered, "You're not dying tonight."

Gambit slipped out of the back of the building, and fled from the scene. The rest of them could finish everything off; he wouldn't be needed. He disappeared into the shadows, the larger mutant still slung over his shoulder.


	2. Breakfast

**Hey all. So here's chapter two. Yes, I realize that they may be a little out of character, oh well. Big thanks to DaniCalifornia and Patricia16 for reviewing. Enjoy and don't forget to review!**

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Logan grunted slightly as he woke, his head pounding and sore all over. He shook his head to clear it and sat up, frowning. Where was he?

The room was comfortable, if somewhat plain. A four-poster bed, a tall dresser, a desk, a closet, the door half open, another door, open and leading into a bathroom, and a closed door, presumably leading to another room. Cautiously he rolled off of the bed, watching the closet and the door warily encase someone entered. He crossed over to the larger window and pulled back the curtain. He seemed to be on the top floor of an old apartment building, looking out over New York City. He couldn't quite get his exact bearings as to where in New York though.

Turning away from the window he decided cautiously to try the door. No luck, it was locked. Then he paused, glancing at the table beside the door, which had previously missed his notice, and frowned. On the table, a long with some keys and other odds and ends, laid a fresh deck of playing cards.

His frown deepened. Why would Gambit save him, and bring him here, wherever here was. Growling he turned back to the window, and once more peered out, this time straight down. More than ten stories he guessed, no way out that way. And no window ledge or pipes within reach to climb either. He was stuck.

He thought about mentally calling for the Professor, but decided maybe it would be better to wait and find out what the scum wanted first. So he turned back to the window and gazed out calmly, waiting.

He didn't have long to wait as a few minutes later, the door behind him opened. He turned, prepared for a fight, to find Gambit entering calmly, a tray of food balanced on his arm.

"Hungry?" he asked brightly. Logan watched warily as he carried the tray over to the desk and set it down. He waited expectantly, but Logan didn't move.

"What do you want, LeBeau?" Logan demanded, holding his position next to the window.

"Honestly?" Gambit said, settling himself comfortably on top of the desk and picking up a piece of toast off of the tray, "I don't know," he pulled off the crust and began to munch on it absently. Logan glared disbelievingly at him.

"You tried to kill me," Logan pointed out, "Then you saved me and brought me here, why?"

"Oh, the killing part was just my job, mon ami," he said off handedly, taking another bite, "Nothing personal. Then I saw you laying there, with the building about to explode and everything, and I just didn't want to leave you there, so I didn't," he shrugged.

"So what? I am your prisoner now?" Logan asked.

"Of course not," Gambit laughed, "I only locked the door so no one would come in and find you. But I do hope you'll stay and have breakfast with me at least," he smiled, holding out a piece of bacon to the other mutant.

Logan glared at him suspiciously a moment more, but he found no sign of deceit in the man, so he took the bacon.

Gambit smiled happily and took a piece for himself. They ate in silence for a while. Then Gambit pulled a deck of playing cards out of his pocket. Logan jumped to his feet, his claws shooting out in preparation for a fight.

Gambit laughed again, putting his hands up in defense, "Relax Kitty-Cat, just playing with 'em, no explosions, I promise." Logan sat back down, watching his warily. Gambit shuffled the cards absently as Logan watched him.

"Wanna play?" Gambit asked, offering that cards.

"They'll be looking for me," Logan said, surprised to find that he didn't really want to leave.

"Then I suppose you must go," Gambit didn't sound too happy either.

Logan stood to leave, but paused at the door, "You know," he said slowly, "I have to come into town for the Professor next week."

Gambit looked up at him, "Do you want to play then?" he asked slowly.

"If you want," Logan said shrugging it off, "Although I'll beat your ass."

"We shall see about that, Cheri," Gambit grinned, "We shall see." Logan smiled at him and turned to leave. But then he paused, remembering how he had gotten there, "Um, anyway I could get a ride?" he asked.

Gambit jump up off of the table and grabbed his helmet grinning.


	3. Strip Poker

**Hey All! So here's chapter three. This is the one that gets fun :) Big thanks to endiahna, DaniCalifornia, Polgara16, and Patricia16 for reviewing.**

**Polgara16: Yes, I am aware of the fact that Logan probably would not have died when the building exploded, but perhaps Gambit didn't think about that, he wasn't really thinking, just following impulse. Besides, if Gambit had just left him, then there wouldn't be a story would there :)**

**DaniCalifornia: Yes, he had a helmet, so yes, they were riding his motorcycle :)**

**Enjoy!**

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Logan knocked on the door to the sleazy motel they had decided to meet at, they didn't want to be seen by anyone. 

Gambit answered it and grinned, "So you did make it," he said, "I thought you might be too afraid of loosing."

"I never back down from a fight," Logan replied, entering the room. Gambit handed him a beer. "So what game are we playing?" he asked.

"Strip poker," Gambit replied, grinning, an intriguing light dancing in his red eyes.

So hours later they were sitting on the floor of the hotel room, each had had several beers, and they were laughing uproariously as they talked and played.

Both being quite good at poker they had held on to their clothes as long as possible, but now they were both down to only their boxers.

"You can't beat me," Gambit teased.

"Oh yeah," slurred Logan, brandishing a finger in the other mutants face, "I am going to whip the floor with you!" he laughed.

"Uh-huh," Gambit replied sarcastically, with a mocking lopsided grin.

Logan paused as their laughter died a bit, leaving a ringing silence in its wake. Logan realized just how close they were sitting to each other, and the mere inches of air between their faces.

"You gonna go?" Gambit asked, but Logan sensed slight breathlessness in his voice as they held each other's gaze. But Logan didn't reply, instead on an impulse he leaned forward and slowly their lips met.

At length they pulled apart, both a little shocked at what had just happened.

Logan grinned, laying down his hand of cards, "Four of a kind, aces," he said grinning, "I win."

Gambit stood, a bit unsteady on his feet due to the alcohol and slowly pulled down his boxers. Logan stood as well, somehow unable to keep his eyes off of the other's now completely naked body. He'd never realized just how good looking Gambit was before.

There was a moment of silence in which neither of them moved. Then Gambit suddenly pushed forward, attacking Logan with his lips. Logan returned the kiss passionately.

Gambit only broke the kiss long enough to shove Logan down onto the bed and pull away his boxers before falling on him again.

They kissed each other hungrily. Logan could think of nothing but how wonderful the pressure of Gambit's body on top of his felt. Gambit couldn't even think at all, he was too lost in desire for the other man.

Gambit's lips slowly began to travel from Logan's lips to his neck. Once there he messaged the area just below Logan's ear, nipping and biting every so often, which brought moans from the other mutant as he arched up again Gambit's body.

Logan shifted, rolling until he was on top and bite Gambit's hardened nipple. Gambit gasped, arching up. Logan could feel the other mutant's member rubbing against him, getting harder and harder by the second.

"Take me," Gambit whined breathlessly, sweat shining on his bare chest. Logan grinned, dipping down and once more capturing Gambit's lips before he entered the mutant. Gambit moaned, thrusting his hips upward, shoving Logan in deeper. Logan ran his lips over Gambit's lips as he thrust. Gambit opened his mouth and Logan entered, running his tongue over Gambit's.

Gambit moaned; he tasted so sweet. Soon they had a steady rhythm going. Gambit bit lightly on Logan's tongue, making him moan. They rolled on the bed until Gambit was once again on top, shoving harder, faster. They couldn't get enough, deeper, deeper, harder, sweeter.

Faster and faster they moved, until finally Logan came inside of the other mutant and slowly withdrew.

They now lay, side by side in the bed, arms wrapped around each other, breathing heavily, their lips still flitting together and apart in short, sweet, teasing kisses.

"No," Gambit grinned, still slightly out of breath, "I think I won."

"Lets call it a tie," Logan grinned back.

When Logan woke it was early morning and the sun was just rising. He sat up slowly, glancing down at Gambit who was still asleep. He looked so sweet and peaceful as he slept, his face smooth and his hair sticking up in odd angles.

He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, resting his head in his hands. Then he grabbed the phone and dialed the number for the institute. He waited while it rang.

"Hello?" Came at last over the line, thankfully it was Storm, not the Professor.

"Hey, Storm," he said.

"Logan, where are you?" she asked, "We were worried."

"Um, yeah," Logan said off handedly, "My bike broke down so I got a motel room for the night."

"I'll get the jet," Storm said.

"No, that's alright," Logan said quickly, "I'll have it fixed in a few hours and be back."

"Alright," Storm said, "Call if you need anything."

"Sure," Logan said, hanging up quickly.

"So you have time for breakfast, Cheri?" Gambit asked quietly.

"Anywhere you like," Logan smiled, kissing Gambit gently on the lips.

Gambit grinned, "Or we could just eat in," he leaned in again, once more capturing Logan's lips. Logan smiled and deepened the kiss, rolling on top of the other mutant.

"My favorite," he said.


	4. Tamed Risks and Your Eyes

**So here's part four. Big thanks to my reviewer DaniCalifornia. Please Review!**

**Enjoy!**

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Two weeks later they sat once more in the motel room, each in only his boxers. Logan reclined on the bed while Gambit sat on the table, absently building a house with his deck of cards. 

"You know this is dangerous, us doing this," Gambit said, his voice nonchalant as he began on the top layer of his house.

"What do you mean?" Logan asked quietly.

"Well," Gambit said slowly, "Its like a house of cards I guess, if we make one wrong move, if any one finds out," his hand trembled every so slightly as he moved to place the last card on the house, "Well, everything will come crashing down," the house collapsed.

Logan watched the cards tumble to the table with unreadable eyes, "I like risks," he said quietly, a small smile twisting his lips.

Gambit looked up quickly, a bit surprised at Logan's response, then he grinned, "So do I."

"Good," Logan said, standing up and crossing the room so that Gambit's legs which we dangling over the edge of the table was wrapped around his waist, "Because I think I'm becoming quite fond of this particular risk."

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The next few weeks passed in a blur for the two lovers. They met at the motel every chance they got, making all sorts of excuses as to what they were doing. Honestly at times they were too wrapped up in infatuation with each other to really care if anyone found out.

Each came to be increasingly on each other's mind until they could barely stand to part at all. The only way they could convince themselves to let go of each other was with the promise of the first shock of joy each hello kiss gave them.

But they both had lives and duties that they had to tend to, Gambit to Magneto and Logan to the Professor. However they managed to ignore their differences in allegiance when they were together and they kept their lives together and their lives apart completely separate, but that could only last for so long.

One day Logan was out in the city with some of the older students, Jean, Scott, Kitty, Rogue, Evan and Amara, on a training exercise when they ran into some of Magneto's crew, apparently on a similar errand. The two groups stopped short glaring at each other.

"Looks like we have a change in lesson plans, boy," growled Sabertooth with an evil leer at the X-men. Quicksilver, Avalanche, Toad, and the Blob all grinned. But Logan's heart fluttered uncomfortably as his eyes were draw inevitably to Gambit, standing a little back from the group, his face blank and unreadable.

"Cool it, Fur Ball," Gambit said coolly, his voice the very picture of slightly irritated boredom, "Magneto wants us back."

"Don't worry," Quicksilver grinned, cracking his knuckles, "I can be quick."

"Oh yeah, quick to loose," Evan sneered, extending his spike arm guards.

"We ain't here for a fight kid," said Logan gruffly, "Lets go." He placed a forceful hand on the passionate boy's shoulder and began to steer him away.

"Not like you to back down from a fight," Sabertooth smirked, "What, is that Professor of yours taming you?" he let out a loud, malicious laugh.

Logan turned back and shoved his face right into Sabertooth's, "I am always up to a fight," he growled, "You just aren't worth my time anymore." And with that he turned and walked away, his shocked students trailing after him without a word.

Logan's heart rate didn't return to normal until they were safely inside the gates of the institute. He was quite flustered, both from simply the reaction his body had to seeing Gambit, and the lingering fear that was going to be forced to fight his lover.

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That night as they lay tiredly in the motel bed, their arms wrapped around each other, Logan's thoughts slid over the past month or so. He thought about everything that had happened, with Gambit, and he was stuck suddenly by how crazy and improbable it all was.

"Remy," he asked quietly at length.

"Hm?" Gambit asked sleepily.

"That day, at the warehouse, why did you save me?" his voice was soft as he mused.

Gambit frowned, shifting so that he was leaning against the headboard, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well," Logan didn't even quite understand his own thoughts, but he had to express them somehow, "I know when I asked you before what you wanted in doing it, you said you didn't know, but why did you do it? What made you save me, then after that, be so nice to me, with the breakfast and the cards?"

"I don't really know," he replied slowly, "I guess… it was just something in your eyes."

"My eyes?"

Gambit nodded. "I was raised my whole life knowing that I couldn't trust anyone, it kind of came with the territory, but then I saw you, and there was just something in your eyes that told me I _could_ trust you. So I gave it a chance."

"This is just because you felt you could trust me?" Logan asked, frowning.

"Well, it started out that way," Gambit replied grinning, as he absently began to play with Logan's hand, "But now I more than trust you. I love you." He smiled shyly up at Logan.

Logan blinked; no one had ever said that to him before. "I-I don't know what to say," he faltered.

"Then don't say anything," Gambit whispered, leaning in more closely, "Just kiss me idiot." So Logan did, gently running his tongue over Gambit's sweet lips.

"I guess I love you too," his whispered, wrapping his arms around Gambit as they slid back down on the bed, their bodies close, their lips intertwined.


	5. Something To Think About

**Hey all, so here's the next chapter. Huge thanks to, once again, my sole reviewer, DaniCalifornia. I would just like to inform all those reading this story, that a lack of reviews is extremely discouraging to me, and I think that if 1. I'm taking the time and energy to write, and then post this, then 2. You all are taking the time and energy to read it, I deserve a little feed back. Therefore, I will NOT be putting up the next chapter for this story until at least two different people review. It would make me very sad to have to discontinue this story as I've already finished writing it, and its sequel, full of lovely LoganxGambit-ness that you all will be missing. So, don't mean to be a bitch, but just informing you all. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review. :)**

**P.S. I do apologize for the shortness of the chapter, that's just where it ended up ending.**

**Enjoy!**

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"You've been out a lot," said a husky voice from the shadows, "Wha'cha been up to, mate?"

Gambit jumped, not having noticed Pyro standing in the shadows a few feet down the hall from his apartment door. It was late, or early rather, and he was just returning from the motel.

"What's it to you, _Mon ami_?" he snapped grumpily, making the term into almost a sarcastic insult.

"Because its my right to know," he replied sourly.

"No it isn't," Gambit corrected, his temper flaring, "The only connection between me and you is that we're both bound to Magneto, and unless we're on a job for him you are no concern to me, and vise versa," with that he turned to enter his apartment, by Pyro grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"You know that you're more to me than that," Pyro hissed, pressing uncomfortably close to Gambit.

"And as I told you before, you are not to me, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed," and with that he entered his apartment, closing and locking the door behind him with a snap.

"Grumpy ass," Pyro muttered, his voice carefully hiding his wounded pride and his lip twitching angrily as he stalked away to his own apartment a few stories up.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Ugh," Gambit sighed, leaning grumpily against the wall of their motel room, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What's wrong?" Logan asked from where he reclined on the bed.

"Nothing," Gambit shrugged off handedly.

"Liar," was Logan's calm response.

"Just Magneto, driving me nuts," he replied, keeping his tone even and uncaring.

"Then just don't think about him," Logan said, standing up and crossing the room to stand in front of him.

Gambit just sighed again.

"Guess I'll have to give you something else to think about then," Logan said grinning. Pressed forward, bracing one hand on either side of his lover's head, their bodies pressed together, their hips rubbing against each other. Gently Logan caught Gambit's lips, holding them but only long enough to tease, before leaving them and traveling up to his ear, which he nipped infuriatingly.

Gambit let out a small, barely audible moan. Logan pouted, not overly pleased with the reaction and bit again, this time adding the light pressure of his knee to Gambit's crotch. Gambit moaned louder this time, arching his leg. Logan grinned and bent his neck to suck on Gambit's neck while he ran his hand up and down his lover's leg. But before he could leave a mark Gambit grabbed his head, forcing it back so that their lips could meet again. Logan grinned in the kiss, now very pleased with his results.

Moments later Gambit broke the kiss, but only long enough to pull Logan's shirt off and shove him down on the bed before falling on top of him, passionately sucking on his neck, chest, nipples, belly button, and even working his way down to Logan's waist line. Which upon reaching he paused to unbutton Logan's jeans before continuing on down to his manhood. Logan moaned as Gambit wrapped his lips around his member. Gambit sucked and Logan arched, thrusting deeper into his mouth. Soon they had a steady pace going until Logan let out inside of Gambit's mouth.

Gambit sat up and wipped his mouth grinning. Happily he crawled up to rest his head on Logan's bare chest, gently kissing his chest hair. Logan smiled and wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him until they slowly fell asleep.


	6. Our Secret

**Hey all, so here's chapter six. Big thanks to my reviewers: Patricia16, Polgara16, and DaniCalifornia. Flirting on Pyro's part? Well, maaaaybe, just a _little_. Read, review, enjoy!**

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As the weeks passed, Gambit found himself falling more and more in love with Logan. At first it had scared him. He knew that he should be guarding his heart better, as he had always done. He knew that they shouldn't be, that things would get in their way, that they were from two different worlds, that if any one found out… he knew a lot of things. But most importantly of all, he knew that he couldn't stand to be apart from Logan.

At times he was afraid to show just how much he loved Logan, for fear that Logan didn't take it that seriously. But one night, Logan managed to dispel those fears entirely.

It was Valentine's Day, and they sat on the floor of the motel room, empty Chinese cartons littering the floor. The room was lit solely by the light of several candles that they had placed about the room.

Logan leaned in close to Gambit, a soft smile playing on his lips as he breathed in his lover's sweet scent.

"I love you," Logan whispered quietly, leaning in and gently kissing Gambit's lips, "I want to be with you forever." Gambit smiled quietly as Logan took his hand.

"Come away with me," Logan whispered, and Gambit jumped as he felt a cold band of metal sliding onto his finger, "Stay with me forever. Come with me to a place where we don't have to hide, where nothing will get in our way."

It took a moment for it to register in Gambit's head what Logan was saying. But when he did he closed his eyes, pulling back and turning his face away from Logan's sadly.

"We can't," he whispered quietly, unable to meet Logan's eyes.

"But… I-I thought you…" Logan faltered.

"I do," Gambit assured him quickly.

"Then why not?" Logan demanded, "I know you hate working for Magneto, so why don't you leave? Come away with me, please."

"Its not that I don't want to," Gambit swore, "It's just… see this ear ring?" he pointed to the small metal ring looped through his right ear, "I got it when I entered Magneto's elite service, as per his command. It wasn't until after it was done that I found out what it really was."

"What is it?" Logan asked hesitantly.

"A slavery contract," Gambit whispered, absently fiddling with the ring, "It's metal, and it has some of Magneto's blood infused into it, so he can always find it, and he can force energy into it no matter how far away he is. No matter where we went or what we did, he would always find us."

"Then I'll get rid of it," Logan hiss angrily, moving to extend his claws, but Gambit's hand stopped him.

"Not ever your claws could cut it," he said quietly, "And that energy he can put into it, it hurts. If he were to put enough force into it, it would kill me. If he ever found out, Logan."

"I know," Logan whispered, "Then maybe we should stop," it broke his heart to say the words, but he could in no way ever stand back and watch his love get hurt.

"No!" Gambit pleaded, "Please, I need you Logan, I couldn't live without you. Please, don't leave me. As long as I come when he calls, he'll never find out. I just can't leave with you."

Logan nodded slowly, sadly.

"But," Gambit grinned, pulling Logan's ring from his finger, "Even if I can't show the whole world I'm yours, there is at least a way that we can know," he turned and dug around in his pockets for a moment until he found a stray piece of string. Grinning triumphantly he pulled it out of his pocket and slid it onto the string before fastening it around his neck and sliding it under his shirt so that it was safely out of sight.

"There," he smiled, grabbing Logan's hand and holding it over the invisible lump that the ring made in his shirt. Logan smiled and leaned forward to capture Gambit's lips.

"I love you," Gambit smiled, so impossibly happy just to have Logan in his arms. Logan didn't answer; he was too busy removing Gambit's clothes.


	7. For Fear

**Hey all, here's chapter seven. Huge thanks to Patricia16 for reviewing, something nobody else bothered to do. Enjoy, and please review!**

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Once again Gambit returned to his apartment in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes he wondered why he bothered coming back at all and didn't just stay in the motel, it wasn't like anybody cared anyway.

"You really are making a habit of this, aren't you mate?" leered an annoying, heavily accented voice.

"Just as you seem to be making a habit out of standing outside my door," Gambit muttered.

"I was just passing through," Pyro shrugged.

"So get going," Gambit growled tiredly, turning to glare at the other mutant. But that movement turned out to be his down fall as he felt a slight weight swing against his chest and quick as a flash Pyro's hand shot out and grabbed Logan's ring hanging around his neck. Damn, he must have forgotten to tuck it back in his shirt.

"Ha!" Pyro cackled insanely, "I knew it! You have a secret lover! So who is it?"

"None of your business," Gambit hissed, wrenching the ring from the other's grasp and turning back to his door.

"Fine," Pyro said, raising his hands defensively, "I just thought you were smarter than that is all. I mean, we both know how jealous Magneto gets when we start taking to outsiders, and since I know it isn't one of us…"

Gambit's heart stopped for a moment, he made a point of not letting himself think about things like that, but hearing it so calmly mentioned in Pyro's nonchalant voice his mind was suddenly filled with terrifying images. But he refused to let it show.

"My affairs are none of your business," he snapped, "Now I advise you keep your mouth shut or you might find several decks of cards under your pillow some night."

"Just warning you, mate," Pyro said, once again calmly defensive, while a twisted smirk crossed his face, "Love can sometimes cloud the mind, so I thought you might need it pointed out. Well, night," and with that the other mutant turned and strolled off.

Gambit glared after him for several moments until he was completely out of sight in the shadows, before opening the door to his apartment and entering. Inside he closed the door firmly and locked it before slowly sliding down it to sit on the floor, staring blankly at the bare wall in across the room, everything crashing in on him.

He tried to shove the thoughts from his mind, tried to ignore the panic that would no longer be put down. Images, one after another, each worse than the last slide in front of his minds eye. Each scenario, each possibility terrifying to say the least.

He buried his head in his knees, trying to block it out, desperately trying to think of another way. But there was no choice, no door two. Unless…

He jumped to his feet, tears beginning to flow. Logan's face pressed into his mind, beaten, broken. He rushed into his bathroom, opened the drawer, his special drawer. He pulled out his knife, bright and shiny silver. He held it up, staring at himself in the mirror as his hand holding the knife hovered over his other wrist.

His eyes blurred as he stared at his reflection. In his mind he could feel Logan's arms wrapping around him, warm and strong, protective and loving, something he couldn't remember ever feeling before Logan had come into his life.

But then the hallucination changed. The warmth left the gentle arms around him; they went cold, limp, dead. He felt hot, sticky wetness seeping through his shirt, blood was streaming down Logan's arms, onto his shirt, down his legs, pooling on the floor at his feet. And there in the mirror behind him stood Magneto, his eyes cold, cruel and merciless. At his right hand side Pyro threw back his head, his hateful, evil, insane laughter ringing in Gambit's ears.

"No!" he screamed, dropping the knife and slamming his fists into the mirror, shattering the unbearable image. Slowly he slid to the floor and sat amongst the shattered glass, rocking back and forth, his bleeding hands cradled to his chest, crying so hard he feared that his entire body would explode with the force of his sobs.

There he sat, his heart breaking as his house of cards came crashing down.


	8. Lies

**Hey all, here's chapter eight. I apologize for the extra shortness of the chapter, that's just where it had to end. Well, queue the angst. Huge thanks to DaniCalifornia for reviewing. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

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Logan paced frantically back and forth in front of the door to their motel room. Gambit was late. Gambit was never late; in fact, usually he was there before Logan. But not tonight, tonight he was three hours late. Logan was nearly going out of his mind with worry. He'd wanted to call, but then realized he had no idea how to reach his lover.

He almost fell over with relief as at last Gambit's motorbike roared into the deserted parking lot.

"There you are, I was so worried," Logan said, rushing to hug the other mutant.

"Logan," Gambit said quietly, his voice stopping Logan dead in his tracks, "This has to stop."

"What?" Logan asked, refusing to believe his ears.

"Its too dangerous," was the calm reply.

"Since when do you care about that," Logan's voice was rising in volume and pitch as tears began to fill his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Gambit said. His hands were shaking violently, but he refused to let Logan see it as he slowly reached up and unfastened the chain from around his neck, thrusting it at the other mutant.

"What the hell is this about?" Logan demanded, ignoring the hand thrust toward him, but for a brief glance. Just quick enough to notice the black biking gloves that Gambit never usually wore, and that they seemed to be stretched slightly, as though something was wrapped around his hand underneath them. Gambit said nothing. "Come on," Logan pleaded, "Its always been dangerous from the start but it never bothered you before, why now all of a sudden? What happened?"

"I stopped loving you," Gambit's voice was cold and emotionless. He forced all the hate and anger he held for Magneto into his eyes as a front so that Logan wouldn't see the tears that he refused to let fall.

Logan just stood, staring at him speechless.

"Goodbye," Gambit hissed, shoving the ring on its chain at Logan's chest and turning on his heel.

Logan remained where he was, completely motionless in shock until long after the sounds of Gambit's motorbike faded away into the distance.

Numbly, Logan bent and picked up the chain from where it had fallen on the ground and slowly began to walk away as tears slowly slipped down his face.

As the second motorbike roared away a lithe, fiery haired man stepped from the shadows across the empty parking lot.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted, mate," Pyro mused, a sick grin twisting his face, "I didn't realize your treachery ran this deep." And with that he through back his head and released peels of his insane laughter until it rang throughout the deserted parking lot.


	9. Pain

**Hey all, sorry for the wait, finals and such, you know. Huge thanks to DaniCalifornia, Silvermane1 and Patricia16 for reviewing. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

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When Gambit finally made it back to his apartment, after hours of driving around aimlessly, he trudged up to his floor, his eyes on the ground, not at all paying attention to his surroundings.

"About time you came home," said a cold voice just as Gambit toped the stairs and began crossing the last few feet to his door.

He froze, his head snapping up, and swallowed hard. Magneto stood blocking his path, Pyro leering from his side, Colossus and Sabertooth just behind him.

"John here has been telling me some very interesting things about how you've been spending your time lately," Magneto said, his voice conversationally airy.

Gambit glared at Pyro, trying to hide the fear that was rising rapidly in his chest. He'd barely registered the warning buzzing in his ear when the first wave of pain shot through him, originating in his earring. He wavered, fighting to remain on his feet.

"Falling in love?" Magneto sneered, sending another overpowering wave, "With an _X-men_ no less."

"It's over now," Gambit hissed, trying desperately to clear his vision, "I ended it, I'm never going to see him again."

"That's good," Magneto's voice was dangerously calm, "But not good enough!" he hissed.

Gambit, all but blinded by the intense pain Magneto was still causing to shoot through him, didn't notice Sabertooth and Colossus approaching him until they had slammed him forcefully against the wall. He gasped, completely winded. But they held their grips, pinning him against the wall, Sabertooth's claws digging into his one arm, Colossus' hand bruising the other.

"I'm afraid that you must a pay a lot more for what you've done," Magneto hissed. Then he simply stood back and watched as Sabertooth and Colossus took turns punching him in the stomach until his was sure at least three of his ribs were broken, and they just kept going.

Soon he hung limply in their grasps, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. Both of his eyes had been blacken, and the entire left side of his face was already turning a sickly green-ish color.

"Stop," Pyro called suddenly. Both Sabertooth and Colossus turned to glare questioningly at him, even Gambit managed to raise his head slightly to look at the wiry Australian, "My turn," the pyromaniac grinned evilly, calling balls of fire to his hands.

Sabertooth and Colossus adjusted their grips so that they would be out of the line of fire, but still held Gambit pinned to the wall. Pyro turned the balls into countless tiny, needle-like sparks and began shooting the in rapid secession at the helpless mutant.

They were small, and disappeared just after hitting him, instead of catching in his clothes, but they still left small angry streaks of searing agony. But Pyro didn't relent until there was barely an inch of his skin that was not miss colored in some way, whether black and blue from bruising, dark red from blood, or blistering black ringed in white from burns.

Gambit closed his eyes, shutting out the red-tinted, spinning, hazy world before him. He felt sweet, oblivious darkness threatening the edges of his consciousness, and welcomed it openly. But then Logan's face burst into his mind, so strong, so handsome. _No_, his mind pleaded, _go, give up_, but he couldn't, he was filled with determination, if very little strength to see it through, but he couldn't give up, couldn't let go, not without seeing Logan once more.

Suddenly, the barrage stopped. Slowly, wearily, he lifted his head, blinking in a fruitless attempt to clear his vision.

"Now that you've learned your lesson boy," Magneto hissed, advancing on him, "one last touch," he reached down, and Gambit, too weak to stop him, could barely force out the cry of pain as Magneto cruelly ripped away his earring, taking nearly half of his ear with it. "Now," the evil mutant growled, grabbing Gambit by the neck and lifting him in the air, "You can go crawl in some hole and die where I will never see you again!" With that he bodily threw Gambit away from himself and down the stairs.

Gambit rolled down, and down, and down. At last he reached the bottom with a jarring bang and a loud snap. Great, another broken bone, his arm this time. He lay dazed for sometime, how long he never knew.

But continually Logan's face presented itself before his fevered eyes until at last he mustered enough strength to stumble to his feet, and slowly, slowly, leaning heavily on the wall just to remain on his feet, he stumbled as best he could.

He was too weak, his mind too numbed with pain to truly know where he was going, or even to really see his surroundings.

He tripped, whether over something that was actually there, or simply because of his lack of strength, he didn't know or care, and found himself on his knees in the muck of some dark back alley. He slumped onto his hands and knees, to hurt and exhausted to even cry.

He tried to stand, once, twice, but each time he only sank further and further to the ground. He couldn't go on, he would die here, not even knowing where he was, alone. And he would never see Logan again.

He was just about to lay his head down and give up entirely when a rough hand grabbed him by the hair.

"Hold on, mate," said a cold voice from somewhere above him, "I'm not done with you yet."

Gambit struggled weakly as Pyro yanked him to his feet and shoved him roughly against the alley wall.

"What more… do you… want?" Gambit gasped.

"What I've been out to get all along," Pyro hissed, leaning in closer and closer until his face was barely inches from Gambit's, "You." With out another word Pyro closed the gap between them, harshly attacking Gambit's lips with his own.

"No," Gambit struggled, but his strength was spent. Slowly, despite Pyro pushed against him, he slid down into the muck again, "Leave me alone," he moaned desperately, closing his eyes, longing for nothing more than to escape this hell of a world.

"You are mine now," Pyro hissed, "Now suck." Suddenly Gambit found Pyro's manhood shoved into his face. He kept his lips tightly pursed, his jaw knotting in one last attempt at defiance.

His hands flew desperately over the ground at his knees, trying to make something, anything explode, anything to get out of this. But no luck, he far to weak to do anything. He closed his eyes as Pyro forced his head back against the wall and pried his lips open. He conjured every image of Logan that he could, deciding that if this was how he was going to die, at least he could be thinking of the one he loved while it happened.


	10. Worry

**Hey all, here's chapter 10. Only one more to go! Huge thanks to my reviewers: Rene Marie, KariHermione, JazzyLady, Foy, Patricia16, and Silvermane1. Read, Review, Enjoy!**

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Logan wandered aimlessly through the halls of the institute, as he had been doing for several hours now. He hadn't eaten, slept, or spoken, in nearly twenty-four hours, not since Gambit had… not since the night before. He had even refused to get out of bed until his do-gooder 'friends' had burst in and forced him. Since then he had just paced. Back and forth, up and down, without pause, his mind only filled with one thing.

Just as he'd passed the main stairs, for the millionth time, the doorbell rang, causing him to pause. He knew it was stupid, but he couldn't stop his heart from leaping at the thought that maybe Gambit had changed his mind and come back to him.

Someone answered the door, Scott… Jean… Storm… who cared? But then his heart did stop. It was faint, very faint, no mere human would have been able to hear it from where he was, but he wasn't just a mere human.

"L-o-" faltered a weak, heavily accented voice that he knew so well. But then the sound died. Logan leapt into action, making it down the stairs and to the door so fast he was able to catch Gambit before he hit the ground.

Logan's eyes burned with unshed tears as he gazed at the limp mutant in his arms. In all his long years, Logan had never seen anyone so mangled as Gambit was at that moment.

"Get the Professor, and Hank!" Logan yelled, Scott dashed off in one direction, Kurt ported in the other. Logan all but ran to the medical facility below the school, although he was careful to jostle Gambit as little as possible. Gently he laid the other mutant on the examination table, caressing his lover's check with a shaky hand.

Suddenly there was a pop behind him and the air was filled with an acrid smell; Kurt had arrived with Hank. Without a word Hank crossed over to the table and bent over Gambit. Logan hovered over his shoulder anxiously.

"Logan," Hank said calmly, "Please go wait outside."

"No," Logan protested.

"Logan, I can't properly take care of him with you hovering over my shoulder like that," Hank's voice continued to hold it's calm, soothing tone, "Now kindly wait outside." Reluctantly Logan stalked out, and Kurt ported away.

Logan paced frantically just outside of the door, trying intently to hear anything he could, but caught nothing but the sounds of metal clanking around.

Before too long the Professor rolled up calmly. Logan stopped pacing to watch him approach. Without a word the Professor passed him and rolled into the room, shutting the door behind him again before Logan could even catch a glimpse of what was going on inside.

It seemed like hours later, and maybe it was, Logan had lost all true sense of time, when at last the Professor came rolling out again. Logan stopped again, waiting impatiently for the Professor to say something.

"Logan," the Professor said at last, his voice calm, the tips of his fingers steeple together, "I need you to tell me what happened."

"Like I know," Logan snapped.

"You must know something," the Professor still kept his calm, "From what I hear it seemed like he came he looking for you."

"Oh just stop with the useless questions already," Logan hissed, tears once again threatening to escape, "It isn't like you haven't already gone into my mind and read it all anyway."

"Actually, I haven't," the Professor said, still unfazed by Logan's wrath, "You know that I respect people's privacy."

"Well go ahead and look then, I don't really feel like talkin'," Logan turned his back to the Professor and resumed his pacing.

After a few moments the Professor let out a faint sigh and Logan knew that he had found everything he needed.

"You should get some rest Logan."

"I'm fine," Logan hissed, not stopping his movements.

"Logan," he knew that voice, that was the I'm-not-giving-up-because-I-know-best voice.

"No," but Logan could already feel the Professor in his mind again, he tried to fight it, but it was too late. Logan sent his strongest glare at the Professor as his vision blurred and he slumped to the floor.

"Jean," the Professor said calmly. Jean entered and lifted Logan with her telekinesis and led him off into another room just down the hall and laid him on a bed there, turning out the light as she left.


	11. The End

**Hey all, Soooo sorry for the long update wait, I've been crazy busy. But here it is dun, dun, dun! The last chapter! I should start posting the sequel within the week, so watch for it, its called A House Of Metal, dun dun dun. OK, sorry, I'm done now. Anyways, huge thanks to Terra Wolffe, Silvermane1, KariHermione, JazzyLady, and Patricia16 for reviewing. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

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Logan jumped out of bed the moment he woke and made for the medical facility where Gambit was. 

No one was in the room when he entered except for Gambit who was still unconscious on the table.

Logan crossed the room slowly to stand by the table, relieved that the beeps from the wires and monitors surrounding it told him his lover was still alive at least.

"He's stable," said a cheerful voice from the door as Hank entered. Logan nodded, not meeting the other mutant's eyes. Hank bent to examine the screens of a few monitors and injected a shot of some sort of clear liquid into Gambit's arm before turning to leave, say "Let me know if anything changes," as he went.

But nothing did change. Days passed and still Gambit lay still as death. They had moved him into a bed so that he would be more comfortable and Hank injected medicine into him several times a day, but still he didn't wake. Hank said he wasn't comatose, as was plain when he would from time to time toss in his sleep as though dreaming, but that there was nothing more they could do until he woke up. Logan refused to leave Gambit's side, not that anyone really tried to make him.

The days turned to weeks, which quickly turned to a month. Life went on in the rest of the school, but for Logan everything remained still, suspended in time until his love awoke. He hardly slept, and only ate when whoever brought him the food waited until he was done eating to leave, thereby forcing him to actually eat.

They were beginning to give up, Logan knew that. He over heard bits and piece of the muttered conversations between Hank and the Professor just beyond the door; he noticed that each day Hank was slightly less cheerful when he came to give Gambit his medicine. He knew that things were dire, but he couldn't give up hope. Gambit would wake, he would come back, he had too.

Then it came. The day was like any other, Logan sitting silently, gently caressing Gambit's hand, watching him as he slept. Gambit began to stir, moaning quietly. Logan jumped and leaned in closer, frowning, hardly daring to hope as he studied his lover's twitching face.

"Remy?" he whispered quietly, reach up to cup Gambit's cheek in his hand. Gambit cried out softly, beginning to struggle with something that wasn't there. Logan called his name again, his heart pounding as he watched the other mutant struggle.

"No…" Gambit cried, tears beginning to stream down his face, his eyes wide and staring up at Logan with terror, "No… get away…"

"Remy?" Logan said again, becoming desperate and extremely afraid. He let go of Gambit, only for a moment and ran to the door, opening it he yelled for Hank as loudly as he could before returning to the bed and resuming his futile attempt to keep his lover from falling onto the floor as he continued struggling.

After what seemed like forever, but was really only a few minutes, Hank came rushing in, and upon seeing what was happening crossed over to the table where he kept the medicine. He grabbed a sedation needle and came back to the bed.

"Hold him still," Hank ordered. Logan did his best and Hank managed to grab Gambit's arm and insert the needle into it. Immediately Gambit went limp and Logan let go of him hesitantly, breathing heavily.

Gambit blinked several times, his eyes slowly roving the room.

"I'll leave you two alone," Hank said, smiling broadly as he left.

"Remy?" Logan questioned quietly, once more taking his lover's hand. Gambit's eyes stopped roving and focused on him.

"Lo-gan," he whispered, a faint smile crossing his still scarred lips, "I'm so s-sorry, Cheri. What I said at the motel-"

"Shh," Logan hushed him gently, "I know. It's alright."

"I was only trying to protect-" Gambit continued, tears beginning to stream down his face once more.

"I know, I know," Logan soothed, gently wrapping the other mutant in his arms. Gambit lay there weakly in his grasp, shaking violently. At length Logan shifted his position so that he was lying in the bed, Gambit pulled close to his chest.

"Logan?" Gambit whispered, after some time of sitting in silence, simply enjoying the warmth of each other's bodies.

"Hm?" Logan asked sleepily, the weeks of barely sleeping beginning to catch up with him.

"I think that maybe next time, we should build our house out of something a little more durable than cards," Gambit said, a small half smile twisting his lips.

Logan grinned and gently kissed his precious lover, "What ever you want it made out of," he promised. Gambit smiled and settled down more comfortably in Logan's arms as they both slowly fell asleep.

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**Author's Note: There you have it, finis. But because I'm such a nice person (Evil grin) I'll give you a little preview of the sequel.**

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_A House Of Metal, Prologue_

_Logan woke with a start, not quite sure what had woken him. He sat up slowly, careful not to jostle his beloved Gambit, whom was still peacefully sleeping next to him in the bed._

_He shivered slightly as a cold breeze, typical of late October, which it happened to be, brushed over his bare chest. He frowned, noticing that the window to their room had been left open. Odd, he didn't even remember opening it. Ah well, Gambit must have. So he carefully climbed out of bed and crossed the room, silently closing and locking the window._

_Then he froze, once again frowning. Perhaps he was only imagining things, everyone did say he was rather paranoid, but he could have sworn he'd heard something in the hallway beyond their door. And, with reasoning he always used to counter the accusations of his paranoia, they did live in a school for mutants, and things rarely went bump in the night for no particular reason._

_So he turned and quietly padded across the room. But before he had even reached the door, it swung open to reveal four distinct shadows standing in the doorway. Logan bent his knees, automatically falling into a defensive stance._

_"Hello, Logan," said a falsely cheerful voice, just quiet enough so as not to wake anyone, "it's been a while."_

_"What do you want," Logan hissed dangerously._

_"I'm afraid, that you have something of mine," said the man, stepping forward, flanked by his crones, into the moonlight streaming in through the window and nodding his head toward the bed, "And I've come to get payment for him."_

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**Author's Note: Mwahahaha, until next time. Don't forget to leave me pretty reviews :D**


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